


Eirina's FFXIVWrites2020

by Eiricat



Series: The Warrior of Light and her Lionhearted Rogue [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: #FFXIVWrite, #FFXIVWrite2020, Almost Dying, Boundaries, Dates, Directionally Challenged, Emotional Constipation, F/M, Family, Family moments, Jealousy, Kitchen Thieves, Married Life, Memory stuff, Multi, Need for comfort, Old Married Couple, Old Wounds, Porxies, Possessiveness, Sleepwalking, Sleepy Cuddles, Snowball Fight, Stargazing, Tumblr: FFXIVwrite2020, hyperness, msq moments, not thinking, protective brother, swimming lessons, tender love and care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:21:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 21,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26259334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eiricat/pseuds/Eiricat
Summary: This is for all my submissions of the #FFXIVWrites2020 challenge! It will mostly delve into the relationship of Eirina, Warrior of Light, and Thancred Waters. There will be SPOILERS from all expansions, so please do exercise caution. Higher ratings will be added if there is NSFW.Day 30 - SplinterThe ones known as Azem and Theron spend the Final Days in the pursuit of hope.
Relationships: Warrior of Light/Thancred Waters
Series: The Warrior of Light and her Lionhearted Rogue [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1700734
Comments: 14
Kudos: 23





	1. Day 1 - Crux

Crux: a vital, basic, decisive, or pivotal point:

Thancred had never been very good at expressing his emotions, or at the very least, the emotions and feelings that actually mattered and were buried deep inside his heart and heavily guarded by an aloof and flirtful personality. Emotions and dreams were a fickle and vulnerable thing to have, and revealing them tended to do more harm than good in his early childhood years and so he buried them away at the back of his mind and did his very best to go about his day nothing the wiser.

If someone were to ask what it was his heart of hearts yearned for, he would give them a smirk and a half hearted reply along the lines of wine, women and peace for his fellow man. He would laugh off any other attempts at further prying, believing himself unworthy (and still even now he did) to dream of more for himself. It’s not to say that he didn’t dream of anything more for himself, he just wasn’t going to tell anyone if he had a say about it.

Somehow it shouldn’t have surprised him that it was his good friend Urianger that managed to wrangle out his secrets finally, years later. It was over drinks and food, catching up on what had been going on in the Source after he was Called away and what Thancred had been up to in the two years he had lived here. What plans they had to await the arrival of their dear Warrior and friend and salvation. Whether it was because he was deep in his cups for the first time in forever and having a vulnerable moment, or perhaps the secret was just begging to finally be let out, Thancred found himself telling the elezen all, barely even stopping for breath as it rushed out of him in a waterfall of words and dreams.

The crux of the matter was that he, Thancred Waters the ladies’ man, was in love with the Warrior of Light, one of his best and dearest friends. He was happy and content to remain a presence at her side, and he dared not to ask for more, even though he _yearned_ for it like nothing else.  
  
Even more shocking (or not, really, to most of his friends which he would later find out and lament), he was certain that she was the only one he would ever want to spend the rest of whatever life he had with. If only the young street urchin that he used to be could see him now, longing for a life with someone at his side, going about their days together and protecting their friends and family and striving for a bright future…

He supposed that was just one of her many charms. It was hard not to want to be a better man, a worthy one when _she_ was involved. Urianger had only nodded and added his own thoughts when all was said and done and promised to keep his confidence. Though he didn’t say anything after that, Thancred had a feeling that Urianger knew how grateful he was to finally let it out.

It was a couple days later after that encounter with the scholar that he found himself browsing the markets of the Crystarium, not particularly searching for anything but merely to idle away some time before he retired for the evening and into his very empty and very lonely quarters (it was very much so his own choice whether he thought about it that much or not, something which Urianger had only raised an eyebrow and smirked at but had said nothing of). He had already gathered what supplies he would need before his next foray out into the wilds and hunting sin eaters but it was still nice to browse, to see the people undaunted by the rather bleak outlook happening on the star, showing off their wares and crafts like the world wasn’t very close to ending at any moment.

It was a glint at the corner of his eye that made him stop in his tracks and hold his breath, a sparkle of silver and magenta that reminded him of a certain someone’s gaze, that made him turn and come closer to a well stocked jeweler. A simple ring, made of silver metal and a gleaming pink gemstone stared up at him from the cushion it was nestled on, Urianger’s words from the other day repeating themselves over and over in his mind.

_“And at which hour art thou going to telleth our dear friend this? Doth not make the same mistakes I didst, I beg of thee... Moenbryda.... Although I have cometh to terms with what has passed, I wish not to see the same heartbreak and tragedy of untold love befall thee.”_

Thancred wasn’t even thinking anymore when he immediately asked for the price, the negotiating and haggling process nothing more than a blur until a fair compromise was reached and he was walking away with much less gil to his name, and a small box that felt like it contained the weight of the world in his hands. To him, it might as well as he absentmindedly wandered back to his room and sat down at the table in his kitchen, the box a heavy weight in his coat pocket as he tried to think of what he would make for dinner. 

As he stared at the ring for the umpteenth time that evening, now innocently sitting in his palm and sparkling up at him in tantalizing hues of rose pink that dominated his every dream and fantasy, he really hoped that this little item at the very least gave her a good starting idea of what lay in his heart.

If he ever managed to gather the courage to give it to her, that was.


	2. Day 2 - Sway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 - Sway: move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backward and forward or from side to side
> 
> Takes place on their journey to the depths of the unknown, 5.0. The Warrior of Darkness doesn't hide her struggle anymore.

The infernal light, barely contained and always seeking a way though her faltering defenses, was really starting to take a toll on the Warrior of Darkness, no matter how hard she tried and failed to hide it. It was pitifully obvious to the Scions, her precious found family, how exhausted she was, momentarily pausing in their march to uncharted depths as the Eirina eventually stopped putting up pretenses, stopped making excuses to duck away unnoticed and wretch up the bubbling ichor from her chest, stopped from trying to hold herself up in a bout of fatigue and instead leaned on whomever was closest as she gasped and wheezed to catch her breath.

It would take a lot more for her to admit it, but the concerned love in their gazes and actions were what managed to keep her going, to continue her fight against the tides that threatened to pull her under. It was for them, more than herself that she vowed she would pull through.

It was Thancred’s turn this time to catch her as she swayed and stumbled like a newborn foal, to help her kneel to the ground as she gasped and wheezed and choked on her own saliva and the molten light within. The others respectfully kept their distance, Ryne and the twins hovering the closest but knowing that there was not much they could do but give her some space, some shred of dignity and privacy that the miqo’te inwardly appreciated. Though they kept their distance, they did not run in terror or anything of the sort, instead stubbornly refusing her with all the love and steely resolve they could muster. To Eirina, that meant more than she could ever convey to them though word or action.

When she thought she was finally done, that the roiling receded and her lungs weren’t seizing on her anymore, Eirina half heartedly grumbled and let Thancred pull her to her feet, the gunbreaker keeping one arm around her as he dug through his coat pockets with his free hand.

“Before you even  _ think _ otherwise, we  _ will _ find a way out of this. This isn’t to be your end or ours for that matter. For the Twelves sake, you haven’t even given me an answer yet, although at the moment it should be the least of our worries.”

She gave a feeble chuckle at the remark as she swayed again and wiped away the ichor from her lips with the rag that he pressed into her hands. Not a word was said after as she called forth aetherial fire to burn it away until nothing was left but the two of them, two burdened souls clinging to each other for comfort. When she tilted to the side again, she was abruptly pulled closer to him, his arms enclosing her in a cocoon of warmth she didn’t even know she needed until then, the warmth he radiated seeping into her very bones and chasing away the chill.

This man, this wonderful, precious but probably somewhat touched in the head man, who should be far away from her and the impending threat she posed, only held her closer before she even had half a mind to pull away herself.

“Answer or not, I can wait forever if I must. I intend to be at your side until the very end, I promise you.”

Learning into his comforting embrace, with all of her heart, she believed him.


	3. Day 3 - Muster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three times eirina fails to muster up the courage to knock on Thancred’s door when she has a nightmare, and the one time she finally does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not used to having little time to come up with something and post it so uh, hopefully this chapter is okay?

Day 3 - Muster

Three times eirina fails to muster up the courage to knock on Thancred’s door when she has a nightmare, and the one time she finally does.

1

It was an all too real nightmare of scorching flames and barely tolerable heat, the Praetorium burning down around her as she faced off against an all too familiar visage that had her waking in a panic and stumbling from her bed out into the halls of the waking sands and to his door.

Her fist remained poised to knock, almost trembling with the miniscule effort and yet--

Eirina couldn't bring herself to, no matter how much his laughter echoed in her ears, twisted and so unlike him as the ascian mocked her from the stolen body of her comrade. Her ears flattened against her skull as she lowered her hand and turned away, walking back towards her rooms. 

Thancred needed his sleep, and her silly nightmares were nothing to bother the man over, especially when she realistically knew he was alive and safe behind that door.

Perhaps her brother wouldn't mind some company tonight instead.

2

The second time, it was the halls of House Fortemps she wandered, counting down the doors until she arrived at his borrowed guest room. They had just managed to withdraw from that band of warriors, those ‘Warriors of Darkness’ as they styled themselves. There wasn’t much she could do at the moment, but on the morrow she planned to consult with the others and see what they thought of the current situation.

She let out a breath before raising her hand, clutching her night robe closer to herself as she tried to muster her courage to knock.

Minutes went by before she stopped herself halfway, a weary sigh escaping her as her hand slowly lowered until it fell back to her side. Her nails dug into her palm until she could feel small pinpricks of pain, turning sharply on her heel and marching away.

No. He needed his sleep and she still didn't know exactly where she stood with this changed man, one who was grittier and sharper in both his appearance and demeanor and more hardened to the world.. He didn't need her coming to check on him like some little lost kit who couldn't fend for herself.

Instead, in the morning she would talk to him over breakfast, let him divulge what he wished and do her best to be the very best friend she could be, feelings be damned.

3

She had no idea what was stopping her this time as she silently contemplated the door before her, the wooden blockade standing before her mockingly.

Apparently she hadn’t been as unnoticed as she had thought, what seemed like ages and ages ago, the rogue letting her know one day during a sudden bout of sparring in the Lochs before they were to storm the palace. That he knew she was having a terrible time dealing with her nightmares, and that if she needed anyone to talk to or not talk to, he was available whenever he was needed, for that is what best friends did for one another, or so he said.

She knew that he felt the need to be useful. She knew, because she was like him, they both would feel useless if the other hadn’t come to the other in their hour of need, this strange friendship that sometimes flirted along the lines of something more, something deeper she both had and had not a name to give, something she yearned to have with all of her heart of hearts but was scared to approach. 

Unfortunately, her common sense and duty reared its ugly head once more and denied her taking that step forward, that step forward into the unknown and into the comfort she knew he could give her, that understanding smile she  _ knew _ would greet her…

She fell asleep in the chocobo stables that night.

4

“By the gods, knock already, would you? I’m not getting any younger here you know!”

_ Nor older, it would seem.  _ Eirina inwardly groaned to herself at Ardbert’s attempt at encouragement. She knew he was just trying to help her muster her courage, and gods damnit it all, for some reason it actually seemed to work.

She quietly but firmly knocked on the door before her nerves could stop her, her ears pricking forward to hear any movement from inside. She barely heard the whisper faint sound of feet coming towards her, the door swinging open with nary a sound. Thancred appeared before her, no doubt a knife clenched in the hand hidden behind the door as his eyebrows rose in surprise at who greeted him at this hour. His face softened and he opened the door wider to her, ushering her in without a hint of judgement.

“Ah, it’s you. Would you like to talk about it over a cup of tea or…? No? Alright then, leave open the left side for me, would you dear?” Eirina was left with her ghostly companion staying behind, a grin on his lips and a thumbs up.


	4. Day 4 - Clinch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after the Scions finally return to the Source, Eirina and Thancred spend a few moments of quiet together in the morning.

It certainly was a welcome reprieve to wake up in her own bed, the chill of Mor Dhona settling onto her skin like a lovers embrace. Eirina languidly stretched out her body and attempted to roll over onto her other side but frowned in confusion when two bands of warmth held her still and pulled her closer to a solid presence at her back.

“And just where do you think you’re off to so early this morning, my beloved?”

Ah, that's right. She had fallen asleep in Thancred’s bed last night, or as he had whispered to her as they had tenderly disrobed one another,  _ their bed. _ The thought warmed her all over better than a cup of hot cocoa in an Ishgardian blizzard. She smiled and let herself relax, nestling in closer and twining her tail around his side.

“I have training to do, and I have to check in with Tataru and make sure no pressing matters are waiting for me to attend to and--” She cut herself off when he gave a displeased rumble, squeezing her once and fitting his chin into the crook of her neck, his breath tickling her skin.

“It can wait. You've not slacked in your duties the last few days and you surely need a break. Your brother would be breaking down our door otherwise if the world was burning down.” Privately she agreed with this, and she had a feeling he knew. She still didn't want to admit it to him, however.

His voice rumbled deliciously as he slowly nuzzled his face back and forth into her neck. “How about a compromise then? If you would be so kind as to indulge me just a while longer, we can have a couple rounds of friendly sparring before we go get pastries and ice cream at our favorite joint?”

“What if we run into a gaggle of your admirers?” She asked, her lips quirking into a teasing smirk. The rogue good-naturedly chucked and shook his head, holding her tighter in his arms as he slowly trailed kisses up and down the back of her neck. She felt his smile when she couldn’t help but shiver in response.

“Then we simply tell them that I,” A kiss over one shoulder, then the other, “am currently on a date with my most wonderful, beautiful wife, and that I am happily no longer available on the market and shan’t be for the rest of my days, if I have any say in it.”

He finished his statement by turning her around and planning a firm yet chaste kiss on her lips. Eirina was certain her face was flaming red, the warmth his words gave her still something foreign but welcome. Something, that if the gods were willing, she could happily get used to. 

“Well then, it sounds like we have a date.” And, to cinch the deal, she planted a kiss on his nose and settled in further to his arms, letting the sensation of his hands rubbing up and down her spine lull her back into a blissful repose.


	5. Day 5 - Matter of Fact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 - Matter of Fact
> 
> Eiris and Thancred have a man to man talk.

When Thancred steps out into the bar of the Rising Stones he casts a quick glance about, looking for short pink hair that was just a hint darker than his wife’s. 

That was a term Thancred was still getting used to and he was all too aware of this as he sat down beside the miqo’te male, murmuring his thanks at the offered ale. A quick noncommittal sip to check for poisons during which his friend only snorted and shook his head, the rogue downed his ale. 

Eiris signaled for another round before turning and pinning Thancred in his seat with his mismatched gaze, magenta and turquoise glinting almost threateningly before he blinked and smiled.

“I had a strong feeling this would happen but I suppose until I see it myself it won’t really sink in. Nevertheless, welcome to the family, Thancred! Or should I now say, ‘brother?’” Thancred rolled his eyes before sighing and getting straight to the matter of things.

“While normally I would attribute this enthusiasm to just a social call, I feel that I may have been called here for something more serious and if I had my guesses, it would involve your sister.” His guess proved to be correct when the shorter male sighed and downed his own drink before fixing him with a level stare.

“Alright, yeah, you got me. It’s about Eirina.” 

Thancred waited for his friend to elaborate before he sighed again and prompted, “I would further guess it is about the fact that we are,” the next part of his sentence, he tried and utterly failed to contain his disbelief, “married.”

Eiris nodded frantically and clapped a hand on Thancred’s shoulder. “Yes, yes, that. I had a feeling it would come to this between the two of you, oh no please, don’t look so skeptical, I really am happy for you both, I promise.” 

The miqo’te tightened his grip on his new brother-in-law, keeping the man in place. Thancred would admit to himself that yes, part of him would very much like to not have this conversation that was moons in the making, but he knew his beloved would have some stern words for him if he turned tail and ran. With his past, it was only a matter of time before he was given the lecture of his life.

“Very well then, let us get this done and over with.” Thancred crossed his arms and regarded the other man who was now comically pouting, the wind in his sails obviously lacking with the rogue’s nonchalance. 

“Alright, alright, fine.” A clatter as Eiris let go and instead grabbed his new drink, downing it all in one go before he swung back around and stared the hyur down intently.

“I gather my sister gave you my letter in the First, yeah? So while yes indeed, while you have my blessing and what not, and yes as a matter of fact, I  _ will _ be at your Source wedding as you two call it, in the most glorious of monkeysuits -thank you  _ very _ much- that Tataru can conceive if it means my dear sister’s happiness.” An almost wistful smile, no doubt thinking of whatever horrors awaited him at the secretaries’ hands crossed his face, claw tipped fingers drumming idly against the bar top. 

“However, I want to make one thing perfectly clear.” Ah, now this was what Thancred had expected, the suddenly grave and serious look, coupled with what could only be described as pure murderous intent.

“Best friend or no, if you  _ ever _ intentionally set out to hurt her in  _ any _ sort of way….” Were that fangs being bared at him, oh yes indeed it was, Thancred noticed as the other man suddenly leaned forward and  _ very _ much so into his personal space that he could see each and everyone one of his sharp and gleaming teeth, “There won’t be anything left of you for my sister, Y’shtola and Alisaie to find and murder.  _ Nothing _ .”

As if he hadn’t just threatened his friend with bodily harm, a look of pure sunshine and rainbows replaced his glare and the man sat back and started laughing, ordering yet another round of drinks. Thancred barely noticed that he himself had yet to even finish his second. It was time to rectify that as he picked up his drink and stared it down.

As far as angry brothers out to protect their sisters against unsavory folk, it wasn’t the worst Thancred had to endure, and he agreed with his friend as he lifted his tankard and offered it in a toast.

“I’ll hold you to it.” They both downed their drinks, the air certainly less oppressive now that the dhalmel was let out of the room and free to go about as it pleased.

“Anyway, that's all I wanted to say on that matter, except oh, I suppose this means I leave her now in your care, or perhaps it is the other way around and I leave you in her care? Ahhh, trivial manners, let's just celebrate the fact that you’re back now and my sister is happier than I have ever seen her and it’s all thanks to you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't say I'm really happy with how this turned out, but I really need to stop worrying about perfect and get these things out of my head and out for everyone else. Guess that's the good thing about this challenge, eh?


	6. Day 6 - (You Pick!) Respite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 - Respite
> 
> Rest, at least the truly peaceful sort, was a precious commodity that they took advantage of whenever possible.

While normally Thancred might slightly offended if someone had fallen asleep on him and even started to  _ dool  _ of all things, he wasn’t when it was the Warrior of Light, home safe from her travels of helping the helpless and delivering items that honestly should have been left to the Post Moogle. 

Or, she was home safe for the time being before wanderlust nipped at her heels and sent her off again. At least now she had the good sense to tilt her head at him, her eyes wide and hopeful as she asked if she wanted to come along with her. It was impossible to say no when she did and it was something he was going to cherish for the rest of his days.

Thancred startled out of his thoughts when Eirina shifted her in her sleep, curling closer and burrowing her face further into his side. Her tail curled idly around his arm and her shawl slipped from her shoulder and into her lap here her book lay open. He abandoned all pretense of being productive, setting aside the reports he was trying to focus on onto the tea table in front of him before grasping the edge of the fabric and covering her bared shoulder, lest she catch cold of course. 

If the others were to see them now he was sure to be subjected to knowing looks and light teasing remarks. Thankfully, it was only the two of them for the evening, situated away in their shared office snuggled up together on her favorite leather sofa and the smell of sandalwood and vanilla permeating his senses and putting him at ease.

Deciding to get more comfortable himself, he shifted and settled fully into the back of the sofa, doing his best to not disturb the slumbering warrior. Unfortunately, Eirina was a light sleeper due to experience and his movements were not subtle enough as he picked up her quickened breathing as she started to shift away from him.

“Hmm….n’cred? Wha’ ?” A light, airy trill of a purr left her lungs as she blearily blinked her eyes open, her full keeper eyes mesmerizing him in the low light. Her question died on her lips when he settled a hand across her scalp, fingers trailing though her hair and along the base of her ears, his other arm wrapping around her more firmly and pulling her back into him. 

“Just getting more comfortable dearheart, go back to sleep. I’ll wake you later, I promise.”

His reply made her settle back down into his side, relaxing her and making content to lay there as he continued to absentmindedly stroke her hair and ears. It wasn’t long of that before her breathing evened out again, all traces of worldly concerns absent from her visage as she dreamed once more.

Rest, at least the truly peaceful sort, was a precious commodity that they took advantage of whenever possible. He would grab this fleeting chance of respite, waking her only when his limbs fell asleep and his back ached and his bladder screamed at him to wake her and take them back to their room for the night.

Until then, he relished in the moment and held her.


	7. Day 7 - Nonagenarian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 - Nonagenarian
> 
> of the age of 90 years, or between 90 and 100 years old

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think for today’s prompt, I’m going to try something new: dialogue only.

Two old lovers sit side by side together on the porch of their quaint little cottage. The sounds of the summer sea carry past their ears but they either do not seem to notice it or are otherwise focused on something entirely different. 

The younger of the couple, her hair and fur a mismatch of cotton candy pink and silver, flash in the dying sun to suggest a woman only just reaching her winter years. The man beside her, an old hyur with shockingly a whole head of hair looks much more his age, the lines and wrinkles on his hands and face giving testament. They are content to sit and bask in one another's presence as they enjoy their hard earned peace, hands and hearts intertwined in the fading sunlight.

“Mmmm… Thancred?”

“Yes dearheart?”

“I was just thinking…”

“Hmmm?”

“I’m actually quite amazed at ourselves.”

“You’ll have to be more specific than that dear, I already know I’m amazing.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it you old goof. I meant that…. I honest to gods thought we wouldn’t end up here, like this. Getting old, having children, grandchildren…”

“And great grand children at that.”

“Hee hee, yeah. They’re really cute too. They take on after me, of course.”

“If you say so, dearest.”

“...”

“...”

“Hey Thancred?”

  
“Yes love?”

“I’m glad it was you.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I’m glad it was you I married. I’m glad its you that I raised children with, adventured with, fought with, nearly died with on numerous occasions. I couldn’t imagine ever having done it with anyone else.”

“Likewise here, my beautiful star.”

“I wonder…. What the future will look like, ten, twenty years from now. Do you still think we’ll be around? Those Sharlyan tattoos you and the others have really seem to lengthen your lifespans.”

“I suppose we will just have to wait and see.”

“Yeah… I mean, look at how old Master Matoya managed to get! I’d like to think we could manage the same. It would kind of neat to be over one hundred…. Perhaps by then we would have great-great-grand children! Ohhhh, the thought positively fills me with excitement!!”

“Careful now, you’re not getting any younger you know, I wouldn’t want you to hurt anything in your old age.”

“Says the man who just turned ninety.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you speak of. You’ll have to be a little louder if you want me to hear you.”

“You spoony bard, I know your hearing is just fine, the doctors said so not even days ago!”

“Eirina?”

“Ah, yes love?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too darling.”


	8. Day 8 - Clamor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 8 - Clamor
> 
> On a rare day off, Eirina decides to get into some fun with the children of Ishgard.

It was nice to see her relax, the former count of Fortemps mused to himself as he stared out at the clamorous scene below his office window. It had snowed sometime during the night, leaving Ishgard under a fresh layer of snow which he knew a certain someone was wont to take advantage of whenever she happened to be in the city.

Down below in the courtyard and most decidedly under siege, the pink haired warrior of light laughed and ducked out of the way of an oncoming missile, the snowball sailing right over her head into the stone wall behind her. To her left, her compatriots, all of which were children of varying ages, were frantically doing everything they could to shore up the defenses of their small snow fort, a short and hastily erected lump of snow that looked liable to fall with any great impact. The walls were barely enough to cover the children and the one adult, something that the opposing team took great advantage of as they tried to break down their walls from afar.

On the other side of the yard, her husband led his own small army of children, clearly the ones responsible for most of the noise as he confidently gave them their orders, their own snow fort solidly built and steadily rising. The rogue turned and yelped when something pelted the back of his head, the other miqo’te twin laughing as he darted away to the other side of the field before any sort of retaliatory action could happen. Another yell rose, this time on the opposite side of the field, Eiris having undoubtedly managed to pull one over on his sister, the woman bolting out of hiding and furiously clawing at her back. Another snowball, just barely missing her arm made her dive back into hiding, comfort be damned, as the neutral party set about sewing chaos on both fronts.

It had been something of a surprise when the warrior and her brother had shown up for their monthly family dinner, timidly asking if an extra space could be made at their table for the last minute addition of her husband. The woman had been adorably shy as she had held out her hand for him to inspect the ring that lay on her finger, and he could only hope that it was a good man that she had chosen as her partner.

The husband of his dear ward was certainly welcome into his home, he had assured her after a time, especially so when he saw that it was that Scion accomplice of hers, the rogue that always hovered near by, keeping an eye on her and her brother from the shadows . He had seen the looks the two of them gave one another while they resided within his walls and he couldn’t be any more joyful that the two of them had finally found their happiness in one another.

The only way it could have been better, he mused, was if there were to be grandchildren in the years to come...

A startlingly loud shout broke the old lord out of his reverie, causing him to glance once again out the window to assess the situation. The small band of children were slowly closing in from across the courtyard on a path to total victory, unless somehow reinforcements were set to arrive. His mind made up, elezen men stuck his head outside his office, glancing about for his ever faithful steward.

“Ah, Firmien, I have need of you. Gather my furs and coats, it seems that my daughter is in desperate need of an advisor if she is to turn her battle around and claim victory.”

“At once, my lord.” Firmien, used to this call to arms after moons and moons of it, bowed to his lord and briskly set off, a slight skip in his step betraying his hard-earned composure.

“Oh, and if possible, see that Artoriel and Emmanellain join us, would you?”

“Of course, my lord.”

The former Count meanwhile hummed in contentment to himself as he briskly started formulating plans and formations that might prove to be useful. He may not be able to wield a sword as well as he used to in his youth, but he knew his way around fortresses and skirmishes and the like. His mind was still yet sharp and his throwing arm, while lacking some strength, was just as deadly accurate as it always had been, arthritis be damned.

Besides, he thought once Firmien had come back and begun to help him into his coat, good man or not the rogue may be, he had absolutely no qualms in testing his new son-in-law. He was merely doing his duty of course, as any good father should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I just have this image of Lord Edmont standing with the WOL, telling her how best to shore her defenses and where a weak spot is to aim at, meanwhile Artoriel being the dutiful son he is, acts as a living shield to take all incoming hits against his father while Emmanellain finds himself under attack by both sides :) Eventually, supper time is called and a draw must be called.


	9. Day 9 - Lush

Princess Fluffypaws surveyed her domain from atop her loyal steed (more a hound, really) Interceptor, the duo situated at the far side of the kitchen watching the going ons of their mistress. Across their way, sitting on top of the cabinet closest to the door was their new friend and comrade, eagerly watching, eyes open and flashing between the counter space where some delectable looking rolanberry tarts lay cooling on a tray, and the kitchen doors.

Her mistress earlier that day had gotten some absolutely lush and divine looking rolanberries, the produce delightfully fragrant and no doubt freshly picked that morning. Eirina had declared that she would be making tarts and that if the three of them would watch the goods while she prepared them she would reward them all quite generously. So far that afternoon they had fended off two would be thieves and had been rewarded quite well. The berries were in fact, just as wonderful as they looked and tasted just as sweet, and the three of them were determined to win themselves some more. She was sure she wasn't the only one watering at the mouth when she recalled just how sweet the juices were when bitten.

Interceptor smelled the third would-be thief long before the trio saw him, his silver head poking around the doorway and smirking when he noticed the miqo’te wasn’t paying attention. The hound gave the barest of ear twitches, which prompted Fluffypaws to let out a low hiss. Before the one known as Thancred could even get within steps of the tray and hover one of his hands above the unfinished tarts, a blur of grey and black swooped from above, the man getting a face full of wings and fur. He spluttered and abandoned his plan, retreating until he had reached the doors once more.

The ambush over, he rogue turned his gaze to the top of the cabinets where another gaelicat returned to their perch, the pudgy terror clothed in a rather adorable little parka and looking all too smug with themselves. Fuzzypaws chuckled into her paw at her comrade’s quick work, another resounding victory to add to their ledger.

Without turning away from her mixing bowl, Eirina neutrality remarked “Thancred, meet Princess Fluffypaw’s cousin, Prince Fuzzybottom. Prince Fuzzybottom, my husband, Thancred. It would do you both well to get better acquainted with one another in the hope that we can get along peacefully. Some other time, however.” The miqo’te turned from the bowl and to the oven where she was fussing over her second batch of tarts, procuring three large Rolanberries, from her apron pocket.

She placed them on the counter closest to Fuzzypaws with a smile. “Your reward once more, you three. You’ve done well to deserve it.” 

She then turned back around, raising a finger to chide the man. Though her mistress was shorter than her partner, it was absolutely hilarious every time to see the hyur pale and backtrack as quick as he could, the fear of the gods all too apparent on his face.

“And you! I know your tricks! Thinking you could just walk your way in here and sweet talk me while stealing a tart before it's ready! I’ll only think of forgiving you for your blunder and letting you still have one is if you go to the markets right now and get me some more sweet cream and pastry flour! Now, away with you!”

“A-aye, right away!” Like the hounds of hell were on his feet, the flustered male quickly turned around and almost walked into the door frame before hastily correcting his steps. It was only when his footfalls echoed down the hall that her mistress sighed, a fond look on her face as she began to hum once more and fuss about, no doubt to make the sweet whipping cream that would go on top.

Now perhaps, if her mistress's brother came along and tried to make away with a tart, Princess Fluffypaws could get her paws on some of the cream as a reward...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to try something different again but *sad trumpet noises*. Thats the way things go.
> 
> In case it wasn't obvious, Eirina gets her two gaelicats and her shared dog to guard the kitchen while she bakes. You'd think after being thwarted so many times, Thancred and the others would have learned but....


	10. Day 10 - Avail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 10 - Avail  
> No matter how hard she tried to remember, it was to no avail. The Warrior of Darkness spends some time reflecting over their past life.

Far beneath the glimmering waves of the Tempest, the crystal of Azem did little more than innocently twinkle in her hand, its secrets still frustratingly far from her grasp. The Warrior of Darkness gave a weary sigh as she closed her fist around the orange crystal and sat down in her chosen place of reflection, legs dangling into the dimly lit abyss below.

In a moment of perceived weakness, she had found herself teleporting to the Macarenses Angle; a sharp whistle on a small horn and she was mounted and in flight, alighting on the roof of one of the tallest buildings. It made it so that the city sprawled out before her into the depths, the facsimile of an ancient home that was so alien - _ yet so very familiar- _ tugging at her mind and heartstrings before falling though her hands like the sands the ruined buildings rested in.

No matter how hard she tried to remember something,  _ anything _ of who she had been, to heed the last earnest request of her enemy - _ not an enemy, an old and misguided and dear friend, asking her to remember, remember  _ them- it was to no avail. Only faint images and feelings, more fleeting and ephemeral than a dream teased at her mind, the echo of ancient words resounding deep inside her before fading and dying in the quiet.

Perhaps it was the nature of her sundered soul. Perhaps it could have been her amnesia, a constant companion throughout her awakening on a ship bound to the land of Eorzea all those years ago. Perhaps there wasn’t actually anything for her to remember before that fateful day she stepped into Limsa and stared awestruck at the world around her, a freshly new adventurer just waiting to see what the world had to offer her and her brother.

Azem, Eirina or whatever her name was in ages past and ages yet to come, she was very sure of one thing. No matter what guise she took, the Traveler would stride ever forward towards the promise of a changed tomorrow, a tomorrow where all life had the chance to live, to thrive and grow and bring about a better future than before. 

Memories or not, it was what she did best.

With one last look to the ancient and forgotten city, Eirina tucked the crystal away in a pocket that lay close to her heart and teleported back  _ home. _

  
  
  
  
  


It was later that night, when she was nestled soundly in the grounding embrace of her husband as they lay tangled in slumber, that Eirina dreamed of fire and the sweetness of grapes.


	11. Day 11 - Ultracrepidarian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 11 - Ultracrepiderian 
> 
> Eirina adds another word to her dictionary.

It is a rare thing for the Warrior of Darkness to idly complain about petty woes over a scrumptious tea with baked pastries, but her astrologian friend had spared no expense to procure not one, not two, but different miniature cakes which was coupled with the sanctuary of his abode and the promise of a few bells of peace. 

If her nose didn’t deceive her, one of desserts was  _ cheesecake _ .

She had conversed and jokingly stated what seemed like long ago on their long trek to the bottom of the seas, that all would be forgiven between them if for the next seven years that whenever they had tea he provided  _ ALL _ the accompanying sweets. And there had better been sweets gods damn it or she was sure to haunt him.

She hadn’t actually been serious about the whole thing, but if it meant that at least once a week she would be getting a delectable slice of her favorite dessert? if she so wished? She could conveniently pretend to forget about a few things, especially when she knew the principle would do well to ease his inflicted guilt.

“And so, as this brand new kid was telling me that it was good idea to have a Regen spell on everyone at all time--” The aforementioned miqo’te gestured emphatically before she sighed and took a large sip of her tea before she continued, “never minding the fact that  _ I am pretty damned good _ at my job thank you very much and have been doing it for nigh on  _ years _ compared to hiss mesley  _ three _ hours and--”

She temporarily cut off when to her left, Urianger simply gave her an all knowing smirk, another slice of cake appearing on her plate. She sent up a brief thanks to whatever god listened before she all but devoured the sweet before her with nary a crumb to be had.

“Perhaps thou could give the inexperienced lad the benefit of thine doubt--” She glared at him and waved her empty fork around at him in a decidedly threatening manner.

“Three. Hours. Urianger. It was awful. He knew he was awful, he just didn’t want to admit it and because of it we had a terrible time.” She finished her statement with a huff, shoving the rest of her cake into her spoon before stuffing it in her mouth.

By the twelve she was an impressive creature. Terrible with her sense of manners by they could be overrated at times in any case.

The elezen looked over to the other side of his tea table, his hyuran companion absolutely ignoring his existence as he thoroughly devoted his attention to his plate. It was obvious he had chosen his battles, and this no doubt was one in which he had no interest in fighting.

“By the sound of it, thou hast met a most ultracrepidarian foe.”

Thancred snorted into his fist and coughed before he cleared his throat and went back to pretending to not be paying attention to the current conversation. Eirina only gave him a confused look as she tilted her head, expecting one of them to elaborate further.

Urianger was all to happy to respond, “Ultracrepidarian is just another word for--”

Thancred cut him off with a knowing snort.”Before he can give us a whole treatise on the word: Ultracrepidarian is just a fancy way of describing a know-it-all. They give you advice or tell you how you should do something a certain way which is more upsetting in the fact that they have absolutely know idea what they are even thinking about and--”

She winced and cut him off. She had met many people like that in her travels and remembered them ruefully as she abandoned her plate and whipped out one of her many journals. She eagerly wrote down the foreign word and its accompanying definition beside it before waving the book around ‘til the ink grew dry. She then pocketed it and went back to her cake as if she had not done something that most would think remarkably odd.

“Thank you, Urianger, Thancred. I shall remember that word for the future.” She shoved another forkful into her mouth. She hummed and leaned back further into her seat as she blissed out on the sudden sugar rush...

Later that night as the couple retired, the elezen pulled her aside and whispered to them in a moment of personal and vulnerable truth-

“Fanciful education or not, thou art still one of the most clever folk I have ever had the privilege to know.”

The warrior smiled at him in understanding.


	12. Day 12 - Tooth and Nail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 12 - Tooth and nail
> 
> Her vision and hearing both break into a thousand shimmering galaxies as the Light tries to take her over from the inside out. It takes everything she has to keep it from happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set just after the fight with Innocence. You have been warned.

Her vision and hearing both break into a thousand shimmering galaxies as the Light tries to take her over from the inside out.

It is simultaneously like she has been submerged far underwater and is falling very high up in the air, the cries of shock and horror from her comrades muffled and hard to hear over the roaring pulse in her ears and the mocking laughter of the ascian. A burning sensation tingles and scorches a path from her heart to her fingers and toes, her blood boiling inside her veins with every labored breath she took until she was sure to split apart from the inside.

Eirina heaved a great breath before violently proceeding to empty the contents of her stomach as the all encompassing pressure grew, incandescent ichor bubbling forth over her lips in a wild sensation of fire and ice and  _ pain _ . Her skin felt too stretched over her skeleton like old wrinkled paper that would tear with the slightest of movements, her skull ringing 

Another spasm has her down onto her hands and knees, barely missing the glimmering puddle of sick as she bites her lip until it bleeds and fights tooth and nail with all her being to remain herself, to remain upright and in control and to keep the Light from erupting her and changing everything. It is everything she can do, it is the only thing she can do as she kneels there, the voices of the others fading in and out as she struggles to remain, remain  _ herself _ because the other alternatives are much worse and she  _ cannot _ let herself think about them or she is sure to go mad and--

It is not long after the Ascian makes away with his prize, the wounded Exarch the solution and remedy to her current hell, that she fully falls, spasming and thrashing against the ground as she is fully convinced that this is how she is going to die. Here, vomiting up boiling and sickly light as she eventual turns, turns and then begins her search for more aether to fill the void that her corrupted soul would leave and she doesn’t want that, please let her die before it happens, let her rip her own heart out first before she can even harm a hair on the heads of the others, oh gods please, she would give  _ anything  _ for their safety--

It is none of these options she gratefully realizes as she slowly fades into unconsciousness, a sudden pop in her ears as the pressure starts to lessen and it becomes just bearable once more. 

Through sheer determination and will the young Oracle manages a fix, although for how long it will hold none of the remaining Scions know. The party shake themselves out of their stupor, mending wounds and discussing what they were to tell the people down below while the young girl and her guardian hover over the fallen Warrior. If not for the constant grimace of pain it was almost as if she had merely fallen asleep, merely tired from the intense fight. 

It is Thancred who begins to bark out orders, his voice level and brooking no arguments as he insists that they could discuss this change of events as they evacuated from the mountain and to somewhere more safe. Everyone is battered and tired and who knew if or when there would be more Eaters after them. They need to regroup and regain their energy and wits before they are to form a plan and the Crystarium is as good a place as any other for that.

Urianger, his shoulders weighing heavy with the guilt of the duty he had carried for years, is the one to also suggest that the Exarch may have left behind some piece of information that they could use and it is then as the rest consider his fleeting idea of hope that Alisaie and Alphinaud come over, helping the gunbreaker gently pick up their fallen comrade. They move the unconscious miqo'te onto his back, his young charge taking his gunblade without a word as they then proceed apace in a line very reminiscent of a funerary procession. 

The walk back down the mountain is silent, not a single Eater or monster to bar their way, a fact Thancred is thankful for as he gingerly shifts to get his tiring arms into a better grip around the precious load he carries. The others don’t dare to offer to carry her after he rejects them the first time, protectively and stubbornly holding the warrior closer as he stops himself from snapping at them. He merely grunts and shakes them off as he soldiers on down, down to the very bottom where they are met with a crowd of concerned folk. It is not much for them to acquire a wagon and they begin the long and nerve racking trip back to the Crystarium, Light beating down their backs the whole way.

Thancred and Ryne do not leave her side even once. It is only when the two of them tire dangerously that they even think to take a break and even then it is not too far as they keep their vigil at her sickbed, books and papers piled about messily in the room.

It was time for the Scions to do what they did best.

It was time to find a solution to the impossible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started getting very tired at the ending if it wasn't made obvious. All in all, I got most of what image I wanted across and so now I'm actually gonna be good to myself and go to bed before the sun rises.


	13. Day 13 - Restless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eirina gets the miqo’te zoomies at 4AM. She drags a cranky Thancred, a barely awake Y'shtola, a hyper G'raha and a firecracker Alisaie off to hunt. They don’t do it in the most traditional of ways.

With the most inelegant cackle of a laugh, Eirina pulled her blades free from the neck of her foe, the gigas tumbling down on its face and into the dirt. Before she was to be crushed under its dead weight, the miqo'te flung herself off the beast and high into the air until with a flash she fell upon another, her spear poised to break her landing as it pierced the skull of her foe. Her hair was falling out of its careful braid and sweat drenched her skin and yet she was the most stunning creature Thancred had ever seen, he thought, as he watched from the sidelines.

He had unceremoniously been woken up that morning, before the sky had even begun to signal the approaching dawn. Eirina had practically been vibrating with energy as she had whirled about the room grabbing her gear, forgoing any and all attempts at being quiet when she spied the man awake and grumpily staring at her from their bed.

When asked the rather important question of what in Thal’s bloody balls she was up to, she had merely chirped at him, “I just woke up and had too much energy to go back to sleep, and I think it might be a miqo’te thing so I figured I’d go get something productive done and ask Alisaie and Y’shtola and I guess I could ask G’raha too and--”

The only option he had seen at that point was to wearily sigh and tell her to wait as he too got dressed, preferring to lose his sleep if only to make sure the lot of them didn’t get into too much trouble. The last time something like this had happened had been the hot topic amongst those at the Stones for _weeks._ It had only lasted so long because there were just too many goddamn rumors and to this day still no one, not even the instigator herself knew exactly what had happened.

The infirmary was just finally beginning not to smell like burned toast and he was sure that Krile and Y’shtola both would like for it to _stay that way_.

From there he had tiredly shuffled after the too hyper woman as she had knocked on the doors of her intended targets. He had thought at the very least that Y’shtola would ream her out for the early hour but when his wife had chipped at her and mentioned something about explosions and too much energy, the enigmatic woman had only heaved a sigh before promising to be at the Gates to Mor Dhona in thirty minutes and Eirina had better not be late.

Next was Alisae, and Thancred wasn’t even surprised as the young elezen had taken one look at the two of them before grinning excitedly and slamming her door, emerging only minutes later and fully prepared for the chaos ahead. The two of them still had one more person to grab and so Thancred had volunteered to grab the food and coffee while they roused their companion, a declaration that had earned him a rather heated kiss of thanks from Eirina and a thumbs up from Alisae as the duo all but raced down the hall.

G’raha and Y’shtola both had greeted them upon their arrival and the small group debated over warm cups of coffee and flakey croissants that they would take up the job of culling an increase of gigas numbers on the path to Saint Coinach's Find, a simple job and nothing too large that could get out of hand.

He really should have known better.

For the last few bloody hours he had been regulated to glorious babysitter as the three miqo’te and one elezen had set lose with weapons and magic and after the fifth enemy he had run up to to only have it explode in his face, he had conceded defeat and settled to walking behind the group and watching their backs as they roved across the countryside, laughter and explosions a plenty as they set about their game.

He didn’t actually know what rules there were playing by, and he wasn’t sure he cared enough at this point to ask.

The gunbreaker honestly had no idea who was winning at this point as he ducked another fireball that flew past his face, exploding a fair ways behind him with a sheepish “sorry!” from their resident red mage, but at the very least there were no civilians nearby this time and he had gotten to finish his coffee. In fact, he had managed to finish _two_ cups before the fireworks had begun and he had been forced to duck and weave and watch his last croissant go up in flames.

Thankfully it was one of the snurbleberry kind. It wasn’t too much of a loss in his books. Everyone knew the rolanberry jam ones were the best.

“Hey, who threw that fireball? That one was mine!”

“That would be me-- oof!”

“Alisaie, need I remind you once more of our rules of engagement?”

“The last one she had was a one-shot to the face, that means it’s fair game obviously and--”

“Now now, I see another group ahead and these ones look much tougher than the last batch and--”

“Oooooo, hey Alisaie, I have a neat trick I want to try and--”

“If the plan is picking me up again and throwing me at the enemy, I only ask you warn me first this time so I can prepare and--”

“Oh, no no no, not you this time, this time it’s G’raha’s turn. C’mon G’raha, equip something sharp and pointy and we’ll see if I can launch you that far into them and--”

“Ah, be careful, I may be young again but do you really think this is a good idea and--”

“You signed up for this G’raha, now man up and accept your fate, I promise you it’s actually not that bad and actually can be quite fun really and it really is a good confusion tactic that gets you to the enemy in a hurry and--”

“Very well, if I muuuust!”

Thancred blinked but ticked off another tally in his small little book, nodding idly as Y’shtola came up beside him as they both watched the others take off to the top of the hill, a timid and flustered G’raha desperately clutching the spear that was shoved into his hands before he was unceremoniously picked up by the Warrior. 

Not even a second later the the aether in the air audibly cracked as she tensed and threw the man like a javelin, his fall only softened by the excellently timed Protect spell their Scorceress cast before his impact. His landing managed to down three of the seven approaching monsters. It marked a new record.

“Will I ever understand whatever the hells it is that possesses them to all act like this?” He asked the white haired woman as she smirked and sipped her bottle of tea.

“I should think not. Pure insanity it may be on the part of Alisaie, but you would have to be a miqo’te to know. Besides, a little bit of chaos in the name of good now and then isn’t so bad, is it? At least this way we get to see what we can be cable of and it seems quite apparent that young G’raha here makes the most deadly of projectiles and--”

It really was going to be a long and tiring day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno, I just had the idea of a cranky Thancred herding a group of cats and one elf around at 5 in the morning on a crazy quest for bloodlust. Here you go. May it now grace your thoughts too.


	14. Day 14 - Part (NSFW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 14 - Part
> 
> There is a part of her, deep down, that revels in being cared for in return.
> 
> This chapter is partially NSFW.

It is a nice change once in awhile, Eirina thinks to herself, to let someone else care for her instead of the other way around as yet another orgasm is wrung from her.

The warrior had just gotten back to the Rising Stones after being summoned away on Weapon Business and all she wanted from the world after all that, was a hot bath and some sleep before she was to go back out the next morning to right wrongs and triumph over evil or whatever the problem was of the day.

All traces of weariness vanish when she steps into her room to unequip and dress down for the night and sees her husband already lounging in his nightclothes, a book opened before him as he reads by the dimly lit aetherlamp. The look he gives her when he puts down the book and gives her his full attention sends a small shiver down her spine as he takes her in and appraises her form from top to bottom. That shiver warms into something heady and comfortable when he rises off the bed, book falling to the ground forgotten as she is enveloped in his warm embrace as kiss upon kiss is placed tenderly upon her lips.

“Rough day?” He asks when she fully leans into him, content to let him hold her up as she takes a minute to relish the moment. The arms around her back begin to move and dig into her back though her mage’s robes, the tension she had been holding onto all but melting away as he kneaded at her tight back muscles.

“You could say that.” She purrs when one of his hands meet the base of her neck and massages there, the headache that had been plaguing her for the last two bells beginning to finally recede, the pain becoming that much more bearable. It leaves her purring and she is far too tired to care.

“Let me take care of you tonight?” The question hangs in the air as she struggles in her tiredness to muse it over. Realizing that she is just content to stay there and let him dote on her, Thancred chuckles and steers her towards the enclosed bathing room.

“I’ll grab us something from the kitchens while you soak away the day’s tensions. I shan’t be too long but take all the time you need, you’ve surely earned it.”

Earned it indeed she thinks as she finishes shedding her robes and slipping into the waiting warm water. How he had known to have it already waiting and with her favorite bath oils and at the perfect temperature is something she feels she may never know but she appreciates it all the same as she sinks beneath and starts scrubbing her skin.

When she is all done and decidedly feeling more like herself and not like the unfortunate backside of a gobbue, the miqo’te wraps a fuzzy towel around her body as she steps back into the other room. On her desk were a couple plates filled with different fruits and cheeses along with a pitcher of what she assumed was water and a kettle that was still letting off little wisps of steam.

The sound of her wardrobe shutting makes her look over to find Thancred holding one of her thinner cotton nightgowns, a modest sleeveless piece that she knows is one of her softest and the comfiest things she has, no matter the season.

It warms her, how well he has learned to read her and adjust to what she needed.

“Well, we’re looking much better than before, although I could swear there is still some tension in those muscles of yours. Would you allow me to  _ help you  _ relax _? ” _ For all the molten heat in his gaze, she knows that if all she wanted that night was a quick meal and massage before bed, all she had to do was say the word and he would let her go about as she pleased with absolutely no hard feelings.

She found she had just a little more left in her to give that evening. She rather liked having him all over her.

He beckons her forward to the bed where she lets her towel unravel and drop as she climbs onto the bed in all her naked glory, settling back against his comforting embrace as she allows him to settle behind her more comfortably and move his hands up and down her body in a gentle and tantalizing dance. 

It isn’t long until he has her quietly panting against him, her legs eagerly parting for him when he lets one of his hands trail lower and lower, a low chuckle brushing her ears and making her mewl with want when he finds her eager wetness.

_ Yes, _ a part of her whispers from the depths it dwelled in as she lays there while his tongue sinfully sweeps up and down her neck and towards her lips,  _ being taken care of once in a while was really, really nice. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhh yay, some allusions to sexy times?
> 
> We'll get back into smut one day my friends :^)


	15. Day 15 - Ache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Warrior of Light feels her wounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly had trouble with this, why I don't know even though I know I could have gone with something more battle like or smutty or.... 
> 
> Well, I guess the point of this isn't to worry about perfection, so....

It’s only on truly terrible days that the scars of her old wounds hurt, the kind of day where the very heavens seem to quake as torrents of water and levin pour forth. The winds howled and tore at the land as Eirina watched it all from her comfortable seat in her Pendants room as she nursed a quickly going cold cup of tea, her journal pushed aside and to the edge of her seat, forgotten as she had tried and failed to distract herself from her foul mood.

She sighed and sipped her tea, a grimace flashing across her features as the larger of her many scars gave a dull ache that felt bone deep. She worried the patch of skin though the soft fabric of her shirt with her free hand, more for the imagined comfort than anything else.  Wounds like hers, healed or still freshly scarred over, were part and parcel of being an adventurer but that didn’t mean it could be any less irksome or annoying. Or tiring.

It was a fact Thancred had had to get reacquainted with when she had let out a colourful curse upon awakening that morning from a nightmare of Zenos, hand desperately clutching the large scar that stretched out across her torso and whimpering from the pain that pulsed in time with the levinshower outside. She had blearily scrabbled at her night table and had cursed even louder when she had found the empty tin of her pain relieving balm, convinced that the universe really was out to get her as the last of Zenos’ hysterical laughter faded from her ears.

She had almost wept right then and there in grateful relief when he had only rolled over, an all too familiar look of understanding in his eyes as he asked if she wanted him to pick her up some more that morning when he went to the markets with Ryne. She thankfully didn't and only managed to shakily hug him back and give her quiet thanks, promising that she would take it easy as she waited for him to get back. Warrior of Light and Darkness she may be, even she knew when some battles wouldn’t be won.

That was a little more than an hour ago, and as another shiver of pain twinged in her chest, Eirina sighed and gulped down the rest of her now cold tea, abandoning her seat by the window to walk over to her dresser to find Thancred’s hot water bottle.

Perhaps if she had a heat source to apply to the wound, she could finally relax enough to get  _ something _ productive that day.


	16. Day 16 - Lucubration (NSFW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 16 - Lucubration
> 
> Eirina has her own ways of making Thancred stop whatever he was studying in the late of night. Slight NSFW

Eirina frowned to herself when the chronometer chimed the late hour and Thancred still showed no signs of packing up for the night, hunched over at his desk and nose deep in reports and correspondences. With the way he was crouched over and straining his neck, she had a feeling the poor man would be in pain come the morning if she left him like this any longer.

Feo Ul had shown up that morning with the latest news from both Tataru and Riol with a veritable stack of papers that had made her shudder, doubly so when she saw something in her brother’s handwriting. He had a habit of cramming the page full to the brim with his neat and tiny scribbles and could go on and on about a topic for hours if given the chance.

She glanced at the clock again in contemplation before she came to a decision.

“Thancred?”

“Hmmm?” 

“Come to bed?”

“Just a couple more minutes, I should be finished here shortly. You can get ready for bed without me.”

He most certainly would not, knowing him to be just as difficult as herself when it came to work matter. Luckily, she now had a very useful and effective way about enforcing a break, a thought which pulled a devilish smirk from her.

Whisper quiet, she rolled off the bed and stood up. She began picking at her clothing, carelessly dropping each piece on the floor as she made her way to the dresser. She stripped the last of her clothing before reaching into the top drawer, pulling out and shaking a bundle of cloth which revealed itself to be one of Thancred’s tunics. 

She pulled it on and tugged it until it fell comfortably around and down to her mid thighs, the collar gaping open around her neck and showing what she knew to be a delicious amount of skin, something that her current target would surely take notice of, if even for a moment. 

That was fine, it was all she needed.

Nodding to herself in the mirror and tousling her unbound hair for good measure, she quietly padded over to the desk and began to stack his papers off to the side in the hopes they might be safe from whatever business they decided to get into.

  
  


“I was almost to the end of that…” By the barely audible gulp of air, it was clear that she finally had gotten his attention as he at last rasped “...one.”

She smirked to herself and brushed her lips faintly to the skin of his cheek.

“I don’t care. You’ve been at those reports for  _ hours _ now, and I happen to be getting very  _ lonely _ without you. You wouldn’t want me to be lonely, yes?” 

She primly sat herself up on the edge of his desk, letting her legs drape and fall open over the sides of his lap and she did not fail to notice the sudden and intense look of concentration on his face as he noticed the hemline of her borrowed clothing rise and reveal more of her pale and creamy skin.

“Besides… I can think of other things you could be using your time studying over.”

“And I suppose one of those things in question is you?” He didn’t bother to disguise his blatant interest now, capping both his inkwell and pen before discarding them off to the side.

“Now you’re getting it.” His hands no longer occupied, he leaned forward into her space and started sliding them up and down her thighs, deliberately shying away from where she most wanted him.

She grabbed his hands and pinned him in his place with a hungry graze, her cheeks heating up and betraying her sudden shyness as she quietly admitted, “I have been staring at you for the last bell or so and all I could think about is how much I want for you to lay me against this desk and go down on me with that pretty little mouth you have until I can think no longer!”

It was still difficult for her to be confident when she initiated their pleasurable encounters together but her sudden boldness was instantly rewarded when he growled under his breath “ _ Menphina preserve me, _ ” and shot to his feet as he immediately crowded in on her.

Whatever response she might have been able to come up with was swiftly forgotten as his lips met hers in a desperate kiss, with teeth and tongue that threatened to unravel her before they had even begun. 

She broke away and eagerly thrust one of his hands between them just so he could  _ feel _ how eager his compliance made her.

“ _ Please Thancred, I want-- _ ” She bit off her words with a groan as he shivered against her, his hands darting for the hem of his tunic and pushing it up her body, bunching it up at the top of her bare breasts. He swore even louder when he saw that she had forgone her smalls, the evidence of her arousal glistening between her legs and onto the desk underneath.

“You have turned into an absolute  _ minx _ . I fear you may be the death of me one day if this continues on but oh what a death it would be.”

Thancred spent the rest of the night studying her instead.


	17. Day 17 - Fade

Since the moment she had first witnessed the body of the Lightwarden Philia fade away into a swirling mass of light aether, Eirina knew matters were going to be much harder than the others had been hinting at. It was a good thing then that she was used to the universe having a go at her, at all the simple tasks turning into actual trials beyond mortal comprehension.

She was used to it, practically lived and breathed it, she thought as she sucked in a breath between grit teeth. That didn’t mean she was immune to sudden bouts of apprehension and bout, however.

No matter how much the sensible side of her urged her to turn around, to flee and keep the corruptive aether far away from herself, such was not her way. She straightened her spine and stoically stood as the light parted into fragments before it was drawn into her body. 

An almost sickening shiver went down her spine and chilled her to the core as the energy settled itself inside her, the world fading in and out for a split second before righting itself once more. She opened her eyes and knew that beyond that curtain of light, the real sky was there and waiting for them all.

In a sudden burst of light and energy she raised her hand to the sky where it burst forth and pierced the heavens, a gaping tear torn out in the aftermath and a hint of the shimmering waves staring at her from beyond. 

She swore after that for as long as she lived, she would not forget the breathtaking sight of the light gradually fading away from the heavens, melting away from the jagged edges until nothing remained but an ocean of stars. She could no less forget the amazed gasps of her friends behind her as they witnessed the return of the blessed night sky, a concept so foreign to the many who had grown up only knowing the harsh skies of Light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still don't know *uneasy shrug*


	18. Day 18 - Panglossian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The WoL attempts to teach some of the Scions to swim.

“Remind me again why we are trying our hand at this useless task? The both of them are a lost cause and we could be spending our time here actually doing something productive!” Alisaie sighed and reluctantly sat down at the edge of the swimming pool. She rolled her eyes with a huff, a slight pout forming on her lips.

Eirina remained unruffled as she stared out across the large swimming pool that lay in the basement of the crystarium. In the far distance, Thancred and Ryne were doing their best to keep Urianger afloat while dodging his flailing limbs as the elezen valiantly tried to tread water, a panicked expression on his face. It seemed that he had forgotten that they were in the shallow end and with his height, could easily stand up if he so needed to. At least he was trying.

Eirina blinked suddenly and brought her attention back to her companion. “Because I want to make sure they won’t drown when I’m not around to save them. Besides, they aren’t doing too bad, by the looks of it.”

“Careful now. You may not be so panglossian about it when all is said and done.”

Eirina pouted and craned her head towards Y’shtola. The woman was wearing her own swimsuit and shades, nonchalantly browsing through a large tome of some sort or another as she lounged on a deck chair a couple fulms away from the pair. 

“Y’shtola, could you please enlighten me on the meaning of that word?” In an instant, the warrior’s notebook was summoned, pencil hovering over the page as she patiently waited for a definition, to which the scholar smiled and nodded.

“But of course. Panglossian is an adjective meaning something or someone is characterized by or given to extreme optimism, especially in the face of unrelieved hardship or adversity. Something that you are all too familiar with on a day to day basis.”

“You got that right.” Eirina distractedly muttered as she raced to jot down the explanation.

Alisaie snorted and chucked into her hand, “Why Y’shtola, that explanation sounded almost word for word like the books we had back in Sharlayan.” Y’shtola only shrugged at her with an uncaring grace as she turned back to her tome.

“Say what you like. I for one look forward to seeing if our friend’s efforts bear any fruit from this endeavor.”

Eirina snapped her notebook shut and banished it with a wave of her hand. “Alright, now that that’s done: Alisaie, would you mind dragging your brother out of the change rooms while I inflate the swimming aids? Not that you need it, but you have my permission to drag him out kicking and screaming if you must.”

A most devilish look of mischief crossed the young elezen’s face before she nodded and stood up and all but skipped across the floor as she went to do just that. “Oh brother dearest, you are late for your lessons~ You’d better come out of hiding before your teachers become cross~”

Once Alphinaud got there, it was going to be a true and proper challenge. Oh well, Eirina thought to herself, nothing to it. It wouldn’t be as fun without it.


	19. Day 19 - Where the Heart Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eirina takes a break from training with the other scions as they recover and reflects on the home that her heart has found in them.

Rubbing at her sore shoulder and wiping the sweat from her brow, Eirina sat down on a crate at the edge of the training ring, content to watch the going ons as she took a much needed break.

Across the room Thancred and Alisaie squared off against each other, both of them taking turns swiping and stabbing at one another with wooden training weapons. It was still another day of exercises and healing potions and just getting  _ used _ to their bodies and so it wasn’t as heated as their usual sparring, both fighters struggling with stiff and easily tiring muscles.

She herself had already been at it since the early morning, throwing and dodging spells against Y’shtola and Urianger both until they had tired and retreated off to get some more food and rest. She had no doubt they were actually doing so instead of wandering off to the library and reading until dinner as their usual want. 

WIth Master Matoya and Krile in charge of making sure their patients recovered, no one was particularly interested in disobeying their orders. Eirina herself had once witnessed how stubborn she could be and Krile was surprisingly scary for someone so small. Y’shtola had only stated dryly with a little bit of dread apparent in her voice, that she had learned the hard way of crossing her master and she was in no hurry to repeat it anytime soon.

If it had the normally unflappable Y’shtola unnerved, they all unspokenly agreed that they didn’t want to find out the consequences.

It seemed like Alisaie was pressing her advantage again as she renewed her assault and sent Thancred on the defensive. 

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” Eiris plopped down beside her, his tail brushing against hers in greeting. A fond smile crossed his face as he stared out into the ring where surprisingly, Alisaie had narrowly managed to clinch a win from the ashen-haired hyur as the small elezen had knocked away his daggers and placed her blade against his throat. 

When her opponent did little more than let out a tired sigh and flop back down to the ground with a groan of defeat, the elezen did the same, the bout having evidently been too much for her as well. Alphinaud, who was just returning from fetching snacks from the kitchens, put down his tray and rushed over to the two and proceeded to chide her for going overboard as always, the argument drifting over and making the two miqo’te siblings chuckle.

Eirina felt her lips stretch out into a smile as she raised her waterskin to her lips, taking a good swig of it as she watched Alphinaud pull out his tome and start the incantations for his Scan spell, much to the eye rolling of his sister.

“It’s good to see them back home and whole, even if Alisaie is back to asking me to spar every chance she can get. Normally I would be happy to oblige but they’re all still recovering and I really don’t want to incur the wrath of Krile”

“Ah, I think she’s also just happy to see you brother dear.”

“She sure has a strange way of showing it.” He chuckled.

A wry smirk tugged at her lips in return, “Yeah, but they’re all like that.”

“That they are. I will say, I finally feel more at ease that they’re all back, the Rising Stones were feeling a little empty with our missing family members.”

Indeed. For Eirina, it had been missing something the last couple of months, and it was only when that she realized it was because it was missing a certain someone.  _ Home is where the heart is, indeed _ .

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll go spar with Alphinaud and clean up after ourselves if you take Thancred and Alisaie out for lunch and make  _ sure  _ they get some rest. The Twelve only know why they seem to listen to you more when it comes to getting them to rest and actually not  _ do _ anything.”

“I confess, it’s a gift I have~ Especially since it seems to work on you too sister dear, and very well at that~" Eiris gave her a cheeky little wave and stood up from from his seat, meandering his way over to the snack tray.

Eirina called out as she approached win a renewed spring in her step, “Hey, Alphy good timing! It’s your turn now and I hope you're ready~!”

“Oh Twelve has mercy upon me….” The young man muttered as she came up to the group and clapped a hand on his shoulder. 

Alisaie snorted from her seat on the ground and hoisted herself back onto her feet “Oh, don’t you worry brother dear, I’m sure our friend here will take good care of you~ Good luck~!” With a pat to his other shoulder, the female twin wandered off to where Eiris was pouring out water from a pitcher and into a glass that he held out to her.

Eirina only shrugged at the exchange and offered her hand to Thancred, who still lay on the ground catching his bearing. With a grunt he let the warrior pull him to his feet and begin fussing over him.


	20. Day 20 - Boundaries (NSFW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 20 - Boundaries  
> Inexperienced and demisexual Eirina has a sudden brainfart and asks a question and she and Thancred establish some boundaries.

It’s a rare and unbusy day for her and Thancred both and so they retreat away to her rooms, just the two of them and explore more of the blooming feelings between them. 

Kissing just happens to be one of the nice and fun ways of doing it, and Eirina thinks to herself that all was going well until she had accidentally voiced a passing thought along the likes of of “But Thancred, we haven’t even gone past kissing yet, what do you get out of being so patient?”

“This isn’t about  _ getting _ anything from you. This is about me caring for you, listening to you, making you feel good and respecting your boundaries no matter the given time or place. And if I  _ ever _ step over them, I expect and trust you to kick my sorry arse for me!”

For a solid good minute her mind blanks out when he says these words to her in response, a fierce and honest burn in his gaze as he pulls away just enough so a good fulm is between them and far enough to be away from anywhere she didn’t want him to be but close enough still to feel temping heat that was her body was radiating. Her surprise is such that she doesn’t even remember what the blasted question was in the first place.

Eirina swallows and looks up at him from her position underneath him on the couch, dumbly asking aloud “But what if I don’t want to kick your delightful looking arse?” 

It took a pained wheeze of laughter from him to sober her up, the miqo’te sticking out her lip in a pout. “Okay so… then that means…?”

That’s when his face falls into something more serious and sobering and yet sensual all the same, “That means, I will only touch you where you want me to touch you. I will only touch you when you want me to. I will respect you even when you suddenly want me to stop, even if we are neck deep in the middle of pleasurable acts,” and oh, how he rasped that out in the space between them and she decided the tone  _ really _ did things for her and and how wrecked but in control of it he was.

He continued, “And those boundaries are something I will never, ever change my mind on. No matter how alluring you are and how sweetly you beg of me.”

His shoulders tense and relax and she watched in fascination as the lines of his throat bob up and down as he wets his lips, “I would ask that the same applies towards myself of course, and there are others that I would be happy to disclose to you at another time when we are both more clear headed.”

“Haaa, you have a valid point there.” She shivered and bit her lip, her hands itching to hold him again, against her again as he covered her body with his. She withheld, knowing that it wasn’t the best of times to do so, not when they were discussing something of such magnitude.

“So what you’re saying is,” Eirina kept still and inquired, “you’re asking me what my current boundaries are and…. And it is okay to say no if there is something I like?”

“Yes. I am also saying that we can discuss the matter at a later time in full detail as well.”

Just the mere hint of the many ideas she could have sent her mind into overloading again as she gave a nervous giggle. She bit her lip and mulled things over, slowly inching her way closer to him. She placed one hand against his cheek and the ther wound around his back and to the shorthairs of his neck.

“What would you say then, if my boundaries tonight…. were to explore and see what touches I liked best, but while I still kept my smalls on? And…. I could maybe touch you too?” 

She is instantly crushed to him once more as she feels every ilm of his body press against hers. He steals a desperate kiss from her lips as he holds her tight, one that brings forth a pleading whimper from her throat.The rumble of approval he makes washed over her and made her shiver in delight. 

“I would say, as my lady wishes.”

It was a delightful evening alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I"m tired, but I wanted to get some headcanon lore out and yeah, here you go


	21. Day 21 - Foible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even the famed warrior of light has her flaws.

It was incredibly subtle and he had almost missed the miniscule cues, but Thancred could tell his lover was less than pleased with the current situation, it being the woman in front of them who was all but ignoring the warrior and instead fixating her attentions on him the moment she had spotted the couple from across the markets.

All of them, it seemed as the woman prattled on, oblivious to the glower that he swore could light the pour soul on fire at any given moment. It was only slight but the downward tilt to her lips mean that meant Eirina was getting more annoyed at being completely ignored and he would bet every last gil he had on him that instead of just walking off and not having to deal with this, she would endure the whole thing though in an effort to be polite.

He had the feeling that this was something that would happen to him a lot once he got back to the Source and had to live things there again, but it didn’t mean that he had to like it. For once in this situation, he thankfully had more than a little practice of waiting these things out and knew ways to resolve them freely so he could get back to his day. Even if the current pout that his companion made was incredibly cute and rather amusing.

In a rare stretch of free time, he had decided it was as good a time as any to take Eirina out on a spontaneous date. The Second Serving had just come out with a new flavour of cheesecake, and the miqo’te had been wanting to try it the moment she had a chance, and he had to admit he was intrigued enough as well to take her.

It was a consequence of their hectic lives that the two of them rarely had time alone together and Twelve strike him down if he wasn’t going to use what he had whenever the opportunity presented itself. After a lovely afternoon of sitting across each other at the little cafe table over a large maple cheesecake, trading silly stores while holding hands and feeding each other messy sized bites of cake, he wanted to retire for short while and take a much needed nap and he was hoping that his companion might humor and join him.

He just had to deal with this first. Putting on his most unobtrusively charismatic face as he wrapped his arm around the shoulder of the miqo’te woman at his side, he finally cut in.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you Eidith, your name  _ was _ Eidith yes? Eidith, I am afraid I must stop you here. You see, the Exarch is expecting us shortly and we just wanted to refresh ourselves a bit before we have meet with him.”

“Oh, oh yes of course! I-I wouldn’t  _ dare _ keep you from being late! The Exarch is a busy man as it is!” He amusedly watched as the woman made her excuses and all but fled the scene. 

He looked over to his side and saw the tension seep out of the warrior’s shoulders; the further the other woman got, the more the miqo’te’s shoulders slumped until at last she heaved a despondent sigh and turned to him with a self-depreciating grin.

“I’m sorry, I’m normally a little warmer to people than that but…” It was cute the way she blushed all over her cheeks, her hand absentmindedly scratching an ear in embarrassment. His pride stirred and curled around him at the implications her reaction inspired.

His little warrior, embarrassed of being a tad bit jealous and feeling possessive of him, and of not being nicer to those that were the cause of it.

Good thing for her that he liked the thought belonging to her. If he had his way, it would be like that for a long time and he was going to make sure everyone knew it.

“No, no, there is no foul. It was rather cute to see you pout at her. Alas for that poor woman, I’m afraid there is nothing I can do to help her. You see,”He turned until he could place his other hand on her opposite shoulder, a charming and smug grin on his lips as he stated, “I happen to be head-over-heels for this most bright and wonderful woman and it so just happens that she is right here in front of me.”

Thancred watched as her pout fell away into pleased bashfulness and he couldn’t help himself anymore even though they were in the public eye. He stepped in close to her and placed a quick kiss to her forehead, then the tip of her nose and then finally her lips before stepping back and grinning at her for all he was worth.

Her blush deepened more, causing her to move a hand to her face to cover it, but her ears and tail gave her away as they twitched in excitement. It was a sight he would never tire of for all his days.

She slowly blinked until she finally seemed to regain her bearings and fixed her captivating magenta gaze on him. She smiled at him so sweetly he thought his heart would burst and went back to holding onto the arm he held out for her as she hummed and continued apace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got tired, wanted to work on this more, really didn't have the energy as I was falling asleep at the computer so this is the best I Could clean this idea up.
> 
> Every time I see Eidith, I swear I wanna yell at her "wanna fight me, woman? He's mine! I don't even think he knows you exist!" or something along those lines. 
> 
> Goodnight.


	22. Day 22 - Argy-bargy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eirina and Eiris decide to take their newest member on a little adventuring expedition for some treasure and end up having an argument over the map's directions. Thancred is tired of their bickering and intervenes.

“We passed the secret trail about a malm back, can’t you see it on the map?”

“No, no, no, we have to make it to this corpse of trees and then veer off to the secret trail!”

“The last time you said something like that, we nearly walked straight into a malboro’s nest! A whole horde of them even!”

“We got out of there okay, didn’t we? Now come on, it shouldn’t be too much farther.”

“I have a very bad feeling about this….”

“You always have a bad feeling about things and yet you do them anyway, don’t you?!”

Thancred heaved a large sigh and shook his head, doing his best to ignore the bickering siblings by instead taking in the scenery around him. The trees of the Black Shroud stood strong and tall as always, and in a rare instance most of the hostile life that dwelled there seemed content to leave the small group be. It was a small blessing he was thankful for as it had meant that they could pass the hours away on the road in idle chatter.

Earlier that day, Eiris had excitedly burst into the Rising Stones, boasting about a map that apparently led to some ‘really cool treasure’ and had gone about asking around if anyone wanted to join him and splitting the spoils.

Eirina had soon caught wind and offered that the opportunity would be a good one for their newest member of the Scions and so she had volunteered herself and G’raha Tia with a smile as the other miqo’te had spluttered and froze, clearly caught off guard at the sudden invitation. When she had merely tilted her head to the side and sheepishly asked if it was alright with him after, G’raha had only managed to excitedly nod his head, too overwhelmed to speak properly on the matter. 

It was then that Thancred decided he couldn’t leave the three of them to their own devices lest their new member come back particularly traumatized or the like, and so he had volunteered himself out of the goodness of his heart to keep the three of them from running into trouble.

It absolutely did not have anything to do with him wanting to spend more time with his wife while making sure the three of them came back home in one piece.

“I will admit, the stories and tales I’ve heard never mentioned this current scene, but I must admit that it is refreshing in a way.”

“You say that now but years from now it’ll be such a common occurrence that the moment they get into it you’ll want to shut them up by any means necessary.”

“Perhaps, but in the meanwhile it is nice to see that even the Warrior has her flaws and that actually makes me feel a bit better about myself.”

The gunbreaker let his gaze drift back to the emphatically gesturing woman who was incredibly close to poking a hole into the old map at any second with her over enthusiastic jabbing of her finger. Her brother rolled his eyes and scoffed before taking the map back from her to point something out. Thancred squinted at the mark he was pointing at, just barely readable from his position in the back but what he was able to recognize made a growing sense of dread and disbelief crawl down his spine and settle in his bones.

“Alright you two, quit your little argument and let me see that map of yours.”

Gratifyingly they both shut up and stopped in their place, Eiris wordlessly holding out the parchment. The hyur strode over and quickly inspected it, the annoyance building enough before he sighed and grumbled a curse to himself as he flipped it around and held it up for them all to see properly.

It turns out the pair had been reading it upside down the whole time and the secret trail they kept arguing about was in the complete opposite direction.

When he had dryly but calmly pointed out the problem, he had to stop himself from laughing aloud as their eyes widened and bugged out from their face as the embarrassment of their folly washed over them and afforded him a moment of sweet peace and quiet.

Eirina was the first to slightly recover, raising a hand with her finger extended in a point. She opened her mouth and closed soon after a few times, resembling something of a fish before she blushed and sheepishly scuffed her boot against the ground. Even her tail was listless as it drooped behind her as she demurely murmured, “You are right. I’m…. I’m sorry everyone.”

Eiris sighed, his shoulders and ears drooping as he added, “I’m sorry too. In my excitement I wasn’t paying close enough attention and kind of just ran out of there on the double. Because of that, I’ve wasted everyone’s time here.”

The sight of the two of them so dejected and disappointed in themselves smoothed away his earlier annoyance and instead replaced it with begrudging fondness. He heaved another smile and gave them a wane but fond smile.

“It’s alright, you two, at least in regards to myself. G’raha, what about you?”

The crimson haired miqo’te looked alarmed to be called on but he stopped up to them and put on his best face as he admitted, “While it means we will have to be on the road for a little longer than we thought, I for one am not disappointed in the least. I must admit it is nice to be on the road and actually see the world for myself.”

It was a moment before Eiris recovered from his slump, his fist slapping down on his palm as he nodded to himself, evidently ready to begin the hunt again. “Alright then, I can’t let a small mishap like this get me down! We know where to go now thanks to Thancred, so lets make some tracks and eat some snacks and make the most of our remaining daylight!”

The self-proclaimed bard made as if to turn and continue on their way like nothing happened before he skipped back and patted Thancred on the shoulder and pointed to the map.

“Uh, just this once, I’ll let you be in charge of the map. It’s probably better that way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler alert, they may be seasoned adventurers but the duo are still prone to being directionally challenged at times.


	23. Day 23 - Shuffle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 23 - Shuffle  
> Eirina is sleepwalking yet again. It’s a good thing her loyal gaelikitten is there to help her out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one takes place sometime before Stormblood starts.

It was the muffled thump of her master walking into the closed bedroom door that woke Princess Fluffypaws from her deep slumber. The gaelicat yawned and stretched her wings before slowly floating over and alighting on the miqo’te’s shoulder. When the woman made no move to acknowledge her, the cat frowned and poked her cheek with a paw.

No response, save for a tired snort as she swayed in place and mumbled. The cat retracted her paw and instead batted at one of her mistress’s ears. Aside from a twitch and the furrowing of her brow, Eirina stayed silent.

There was nothing to it then, her mistress was sleepwalking again.

Fluffypaws inwardly sighed to herself before taking to the air once more. The latch on the door was easy to take care of as she simply flipped it open. As if sensing the problem had been resolved, Eirina swayed and opened the door, her sock clad feet barely making any noise as the miqo’te unconsciously shut the door behind the pair and shuffled down the halls. 

Aside from Riol making a quick patrol through the halls it seemed most were in their beds and asleep. When the hyur had noticed the two, he had only good-naturedly sighed and waved the pair off, which suited Fluffypaws just fine. The sooner her mistress picked a room to enter, the sooner she could get back to her beauty rest. It took a lot of skill and effort to keep her looks this good, as was befitting of her fine pedigree.

By the looks of it, as the miqo’te shuffled on to the end of the hall and walked into a firmly closed door, they would be invading the rooms of the elezen twins. As far as sleeping spaces went, Fuzzypaws was amendable with the choice. The boy was courteous enough to leave the pair of them be if he saw them while he was awake, and the girl knew enough not to roll over in her sleep and squish the poor cat. They were also the least likely to kick up such a fuss about unannounced visitors and it certainly helped that they knew they would be getting an apology basket of cookies if the two miqo'te had any hand in it.

With a little bit of magic and a yowl of command from the flying feline of royalty, the lock sprung and the door creaked open to her immense satisfaction. Such petty locks were far beneath her and her magicks, a trivial matter for one such as she and her noble bloodline.

Once her eyes adjusted to the shadows, Fuzzypaws noted that both inhabitants were in their respective beds, although she noticed with amusement that they weren’t the first ones there. Lying next to Alphinaud and all but curled around him lay her mistress’s brother, the man letting out only soft kitten snores as he dreamed. The bed’s owner was staring dead-eyed at the door, only sighing and shifting to get more comfortable when he noticed the new arrivals. From the foot of the bed, Interceptor only snorted at the pair before laying his snout back down and presumably going back to sleep.

Fuzzypaws put a paw on her mistress’s shoulder and prodded her towards the other bed. Alisaie herself only startled a little when Eirina climbed into the bed with her, the girl looking around in the darkness until she spotted Fuzzypaws flapping in front of her with an expectant look. To her immense pleasure, the elezen only let out her own resigned sigh as she looked to where her brother was struggling to fall asleep with his own bedmate before scooting over in the bed. Immediately Eirina purred and wiggled about until she was back to back with the girl, her tail twitching once or twice before it fell still.

Good. Her mistress would stay asleep there for the rest of the night, if past experiences were anything to go by.

Alisaie huffed in barely convincing annoyance before patting the spot next to her pillow where there was just enough room for one royal gaelicat.

“Come on then, might as well make yourself comfy like your master has.”

Fuzzypaws didn’t have to be told twice as she glided over. The cat patted the girl on the cheek twice in thanks before she herself curled up beside her and went back to sleep.

In the morning, the miqo’te siblings would be making their sheepish apologies and excuses, but that was something for Fuzzypaws to look forward to later.


	24. Day 24 - Beam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alisaie, Alphinaud and Ryne decide to tail Thancred and Eirina as they’re on a date.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Ryne asked as the trio huddled at their own table at the Second Serving. The girl took a quick bite of her strawberry cake before nervously glancing around.

Alisaie snorted and took a healthy bite of her parfait before offering, “Absolutely. Besides, the both of them knew we were going to be together today. And I want to see to it that he treats her properly.”

“Well, yes but…. Spying on them? Is that really necessary?” The red haired girl looked nervously at the twins before mustering up the courage to sneak a peak across the way. 

At their own table, Thancred and Eirina were engaged in what looked like an enthusiastic discussion as the pink haired miqo’te wildly gestured with her spoon between bites of her larged sized sundae. Every now and then she would pause as the ashen haired guardian said his own piece, pausing every now and then himself to nibble at his own treat. Knowing her guardian, Ryne figured it would be the famous coffee biscuits the business was known for, a fact confirmed when the miqo’te smirked and managed to pilfer one before he could do anything about it. She didn’t think he minded all that much however, nor try to stop her too hard.

“To Alisaie here, it is. I will admit however, it is rather nice to see the two of them taking a break for once and getting the chance to relax.” Alphinaud finally chimed in from behind his book. He too had gotten a parfait like his sister, although a good amount of his still yet remained, the boy more focused on his books than what was going on around them. 

“I will agree to that. They both do enough work as is.” Alisaie sighed and went back to parfait, evidently more interested in it than their targets.

A motion out of the corner of her eye made Ryne turn her attention back to the pair. A particularly energetic gesture from the warrior made a dollop of whipped cream fly off the spoon and into the woman’s hair. Instead of fussing over it or being embarrassed, the miqo'te nonchalantly brushed it out of her hair with a bout of laughter as her companion laughed with her before reaching across the table and holding her unoccupied hand. That prompted a reaction not normally seen on the warrior, a faint blush and pleased smile stretching across her face and making it seem like the woman was aglow.

That wasn’t what startled Ryne however; what startled her was the answering smile on her normally grumpy guardian’s face as he then put down his spoon and brushed away a stray dollop that Eirina had missed. His countenance was wholly easy and relaxed and Ryne decided that it was a rather good look on the normally grumpy man.

“Oh wow, that’s something I haven’t seen in forever.” Alphinaud had finally gotten sick of his sister continuously kicking him from under the table and had put away his book and was currently starring almost slack jawed at the scene before them. Even Alisaie paused from her antics to look over at the pair, nearly giving herself whiplash when she noticed the smiles the two were giving one another.

“By the gods…I don’t think I’ve ever seen Thancred so _happy._ ” The younger twin blinked and rubbed at her eyes before deciding that yes, Thancred was actually smiling for once and it appeared that he wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile so….” Ryne trailed off as she turned her attention back to her cake. She didn’t feel right staring at what felt like a private moment between the two adults. Evidently the others agreed as they too turned back to their treats and in between idle chatter they finished up and paid.

“Alright, lets leave the lovebirds be and go browse the markets. I don’t think I have anything to worry about with them if they’re smiling at one another like that.” Ryne was all too happy to follow Alisaie’s suggestion, giving one last glance behind her before walking off with the others.


	25. Day 25 - Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thancred, Eirina and Ryne go stargazing. A Shooting star goes by and she makes a wish.

“Look, another one!” Ryne excitedly pointed at the sky from her seat against Thancred as another trail of light flashed across the sky. Eirina let her gaze follow the streak of light until it disappeared from the horizon, contentedly burrowing herself further into the male hyur’s side.

Earlier that day as she was eating breakfast at Thancred’s apartment with Ryne, Thancred had walked in with a large smile on his face as he announced that tonight according to those that worked at the Cabinet of Curiosity, there would be a starshower that night, the first to be visible in over a hundred years. 

Young Ryne’s eyes had lit up then as she all but begged for them to be able to have a picnic as they watched it, the man all too happy to let her know that was exactly what he had planned for them tonight. Eirina had then suggested that while Thancred got the necessary things they needed, she and the girl could go down to the kitchens and make some cookies for them to eat that evening, an idea both father and daughter had full-heartedly endorsed.

Then, once the sky had finally started to darken and stars started to come out, Thancred had lead them armed with a picnic basket up to the Crystal Tower where they were greeted by Lyna and the Exarch. The miqo’te somehow had caught wind of their plans and had graciously offered them the use of one of the balconies on the higher levels to give them a clear view of the night. Up and up the stairs they had followed the man until he had led them to a small courtyard outside, bidding them farewell as he and Lyna had continued onwards and up to their own vantage point for the event to come.

From there it was easy goings as they set up the blanket and sprawled out on it, Eirina sitting down right beside Thancred and immediately leaning into him. The man had only smiled fondly and motioned for Ryne to sit on his other side, where they all then eagerly tucked into the food and drink that he had thought to prepare.

A low hum of satisfaction brought the warrior out of her thoughts and back to the present moment. “I must say my love, these are absolutely sublime. I think you and Ryne outdid yourselves yet again!” 

The ashen haired hyur hummed again in delight as he bit into his snickerdoodle cookie, wrapping his free arm around the miqo’te in question.

Eirina blushed in response and purred at his praise, bashfully hiding her face in his shoulder. Ryne herself beamed up at the man before turning her gaze back to the sky in thought.

“You know, Urianger told me the other day about a tradition the people of your homeland have that you do during a star shower.”

“Oh? And what did our mysterious sorcerer have to say?” Thancred asked as he tilted his head at her in interest.

The girl clasped her hands together in front of her chest and adopted a look of great focus as she explained, “He said that you pick a shooting star and you think of a wish. If you wish with all of your might, there’s a good chance it might come true one day.” A faint dusking of pink covered her cheeks as she added, “Of course, I don’t think that’s exactly how wishing works, but it still sounds very lovely, don’t you think?”

Ears perking up in excitement, Eirina pulled away from the arm Thancred had slung across her back and quickly crawled up to the girl, snagging them all another cookie on the way as she added, “No, no, I think it’s a wonderful tradition. Across many of the lands I’ve traveled to, wishing on stars is a common theme and one I’ve participated in many a time.”

She took a great big bite of her cookie, heedless of the crumbs falling onto her lap. The others she held out in her other hand for the two to take. Ryne giggled at the face the warrior made when her gunbreaker guardian ducked in and placed a kiss on her cheek in thanks. Her giggling broke off in a squeak when the man immediately moved and with a childish grin, planted one on her cheek as well.

“Well then. It’s a beautiful night, we have these marvelous cookies to eat and I have some of the sweetest company a man could ever want. With that, I don’t think I need to make a wish, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to try, if everyone is amendable?”

The look of glee on the young girl’s face made the warrior practically melt as she slung an arm around both of her loved ones and pulled them in close.

“Alright then, on the next shooting star, we all stop what we’re doing and think of a wish. No telling what it is though; in some cultures they believe that makes the wish null and void.”

Receiving a fervent nod from the girl and a warm and gentle smile from her lover, the warrior trained her gaze on the heavens. For several long moments chock full of anticipation, the three of them waited and watched for their chance. Finally, one shot across the sky and they all gazed at it in deep contemplation.

_ I wish I could have more wonderful moments like these with the ones I hold dear... _

A few breaths later and Ryne relaxed into the woman with a very satisfied smile. The warmth of the action washed over the warrior as she in turn all but melted into the gunbreaker beside her. His answering chuckle made her ear twitch as she sighed enjoyed the peaceful moment.

For at least this moment in time, all was well.


	26. Day 26 - When Pigs Fly

“You actually managed to get my sister to cook something edible for once?  _ Without _ an oven? Nah man, I don’t believe you.”

Thancred only smirked at Eiris as the man shot him a look of pure disbelief. It was comical, the way his jaw gaped as he tried to imagine the thought, the idea so farfetched his mind couldn’t grasp it. The man shook his head and took a bite out of his sandwich as he added, “Suuuure, you somehow managed to coach my sister into making spaghetti. Mmmhmm.”

The gunbreaker could only sigh and sip at his coffee as he looked out over Mor Dhona from his seat at the cafe. He had indeed managed to help the warrior cook an edible meal, and it was surprisingly better tasting than he had thought as both he and Ryne had asked for seconds. The blushing pride on her face as they polished off their plates was a memory he would carry for the rest of his days.

“If you don’t believe me, how about you join us for dinner tonight? You wouldn’t be imposing on us and I am confident that she would love to show off for you.”

The miqo’te male wrinkled his nose and looked away with a pout. “As if! I’ll believe you when pigs fly!”

As if all the gods and fates had heard him at that very moment and were in a decidedly mischievous mood, the Warrior of Light of light just happened to speed by on what appeared to be a pig with a saddle. A second astounded look revealed to the two that it flew using its  _ ears _ . 

Thancred, who had already seen on numerous occasions the sight of his wife racing about on the back of a flying Porxie, merely crossed his arms and sent his friend an incredibly smug smirk across the table.

Tilting her head to the side, she stared between the two of them, clearly confused and suspicious before asking, “And just what exactly is going on with you two? I smell mischief abound and I’m not part of it.”

He couldn’t hold it in anymore. Thancred burst into a fit of chuckles before gleefully prodding, “Eiris, my good friend, I do believe you had a question to ask your sister?”

* * *

Even with the threat of powerful primals, gods and monsters and everything bad in the world, Eiris would never admit to how happy he was to be proven wrong that night.


	27. Day 27 - Brazen (NSFW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First time Eirina feels brazen enough to demand Thancred’s attentions.

“You’re  _ mine _ .” Eirina quietly growled against the inked skin of her lover as she pinned him to her bed. She had one hand burried in the hair at the back of his neck, the other at his shoulder as her knees enclosed either side of his hips.

“ _ Gods yes! _ ” Thancred moaned underneath her, his low rumble of approval sending delicious shivers down her spine as she nipped and sucked at the skin until a bright mark lay underneath.

Her lips moved down his neck, and at the juncture of his throat and shoulder she gave it a good nip, prompting him to ask, “You’re rather brazen today. I wonder what brought this on?”

Eirina pulled back until she was only straddling his hips and pouted at him, her bout of confidence feeling a little battered at how put together he still was, even after having had her attention on him and a solidly interested erection prodding at her arse.

“If you must know, some of the townsfolk were salivating after you again and it had me feeling a little…. Possessive, I hate to admit.” She frowned and made as if to move off him completely, “but if you aren’t feeling up to it--”

“Please don’t stop.” His hands darted to her hips and pulled her back onto him, both of them moaning in pleasure as his arousal brushed against her core, enough to excite but not nearly enough to offer relief.

“Ignore anything stupid I may have said just now. In fact, why don’t you get back up here,” he cupped her bottom and tugged her up towards his face with a rakish grin before placing a nip of his own to the inside of her right thigh, “and shut me up?”

For a few and good solid seconds, Eirina’s brain short circuited as her mind raced to catch up to what his words implied. Her mouth went dry as her tail swayed and stilled, and her body suddenly felt like it was aflame and going to combust at any moment if she didn’t have him touching her soon.

Biting her lip, she looked down at him and into his mismatched eyes, the hooded look and wink he gave her the start of her undoing as he then turned his head and kissed the inside of her opposite thigh, frustratingly far from where she suddenly needed him to be.

“I think that’s the best idea you’ve had all day.” She could barely rasp it out fast enough as she eagerly moved the last little space and hovered over him, unsure in knowing who was the most excited about this and thoroughly not caring in the least in the end. 

The miqo’te practically yowled in pleasure at the first stroke of his tongue as he eagerly pulled her down the rest of the way so she was firmly seated atop his face and completely at the mercy of his sinful mouth. 

Later, she would be told after no less than three mind numbing orgasms and an all too self satisfied smirk on the hyur’s face, that she was welcome to think of him as  _ hers _ , so long as she would do him the favor of thoroughly marking him that night.

The townsfolk were going extra chatty the next day when she was finished with him.


	28. Day 28 - Irenic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eirina adds yet another entry to her growing dictionary.

_ Irenic _

Eirina stared down at her journal, brow furrowed in contemplation.

Long ago, when she had first started this journal, someone had said it was a good idea to write down words she hadn’t heard before, especially if you could relate a word to a person. She cannot for the life of her remember whom that person was, but whatever the reason, it stuck,

Someone who would promote peace and reconciliation…

Her first thoughts were of her dear friends, Alphinaud and Ser Aymeric. 

From the start, she had had the impression that Aymeric was an honest and well meaning soul, striving to make things better for his fellow man. Perhaps it was a product of his common and noble lineage, or perhaps it was something different all together. Either way, she would definitely put his name down on the paper. As for Alphinaud…

He had come a long way from the boy he was before, the boy she had first met that acted as if he were above all things and had the answer to everything. She wished she could have spared him of it, but the world that they lived in bared its fangs and beat into him a much needed humility. A humility that now caused him to pause and consider his words and his fellow man before seeking a solution that would benefit all, even in the likes of Lord Vauthry and his ilk.

She smiled fondly to herself as she wrote his name underneath Aymeric’s, her writing small but neat. She figured one more person should round off her list quite nicely, but the sudden ring of her linkshell attested otherwise.

Time on the road was as good as time as any to think carefully of a third person, she thought as she picked up the pearl and turned her thoughts elsewhere.


	29. Day 29 - Parental

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The warrior awakes to a heartwarming scene.

Eirina gradually awoke to the sounds of hushed laughter and the clattering of dishware. She scrubbed a hand over her face and blearily looked about, the room faintly illuminated from the hallway light though her cracked open door. In her tiredness she must have forgotten to close it after herself or perhaps Thancred had been in to check on her as was his wont lately.

She groaned to herself as she stiffly rolled over and out of Thancred’s bed, absently tightening the drawstring on her sleep pants as she stuffed her feet into her slippers and quietly made her way out into the hall to investigate the yummy smell that wafted her way.

Outside, she stretched her arms above her head and yawned, her ears prickling forward as another of Ryne’s giggles floated down the hall. Her mind was still tired and sluggish as she shuffled to the entryway of the kitchen, pausing to take in the heartwarming scene before her.

At the stove and stirring something that smelled absolutely divine was Thancred, dressed down to casual clothing and wearing a green frilly apron that she knew from experience had a cute and stylized frog on the front. It had been a present to him from Ryne, the girl having come to her weeks ago for lessons in sewing things other than basic repair. 

The whole time that they had spent together picking fabric, choosing designs, and switching it all together, the girl had worried about her guardian liking it or not. Eirina would say that her fears were all smoothed over the moment he had turned to her and smiled at her as he’d laid his hand on her head. His praise of “You’ve done excellent work young lady, it’s wonderful.” certainly didn’t hurt matters and it had clearly left it’s mark on her.

Beside him, Ryne had all but abandoned her homework at the kitchen table and was standing on a stool beside him as she shaped out cookies and put them on a tray for baking. She wasn’t sure what they were supposed to be from this angle, but she was sure she saw some yellow and white, so chances were it was chocobo related.

It wasn’t much of a stretch to say that the pair of them resembled father and daughter despite the age difference and looks. It showed in the way the two of them teamed up on the battlefield, Thancred bearing the brunt as Ryne darted about and with pinpoint accuracy struck at weakspots before darting back and setting about recharging his cartridges. 

It showed in the way they worried about one another, the man making sure she had the opportunities to learn and grow and become something better than himself, with Ryne always fussing at him to go to sleep at a decent hour and making sure he didn’t over work himself and asking how she could help.

It certainly showed in the way both tended to fret after her when she came home from her latest jaunt of ‘do-goodery’ as Thancred liked to put it, making sure the warrior had gotten enough sleep and food on the road, and gently persuading her to take some time for a nap if she hadn’t. That ended up being most of the time really, and they all knew it.

Against one of them she might have a chance of insisting everything was fine and such worry was not necessary as she tried to help with chores, but against the two of them at the same time?

There was no hope of moving those two stubborn souls when they set their minds to it.

Eirina couldn’t help the dopey smile on her face as she basked in how well fatherhood was treating them both, completely missing the fact that the room's occupants had finally noticed her as she was spacing out.

“Ah, you’re awake and just in time!”

Almost comically, Eirina started and whirled about, scratching the back of her neck in sheepishness at being caught staring. “Ah? In time for what? I do hope it’s food because I’m starving!”


	30. Day 30 - Splinter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 30 - Splinter  
> The ones known as Azem and Theron spend the Final Days in pursuit of hope.

The calm skies above and the quiet fields of green below did little to calm the nerves of the one called Azem as they stared over the yet untouched beauty that lay before them in this small corner of the star. 

It was any day now that the Convocation would begin the summoning of their construct, and Azem still had no clues or ideas on how to prevent it or how they could quell the Sound that was causing terror all across the star. If there was a solution to their woes, she was convinced that it lay not with Amaurot but perhaps in a place less explored and forgotten about, something that didn’t require the vast amount of life sacrificed in the name of a false god.

The figure frowned and reached back for a hood they no longer wore before letting their hands fall back to their sides. Azem and the trappings of their station were long gone, left behind in Amaurot with their flowing black robes and red mask sitting abandoned on the seat of their office they once held. Instead they were garbed in simple traveling clothes, their stature reduced to the form they preferred when they ventured out of the city, pink ears perched atop her head and sleek tail swaying aimlessly behind her.

No, she had cast her lot and left all that behind and instead all that remained was Pandoria, the wanderer that aided her fellow man and strived ever forward for adventure and the betterment of the world.

The woman’s ears pricked forward at the sound of footsteps hushed by the wild grasses as her lover climbed up the hill she stood on and joined her in her vigil. No matter how many times she saw him, laughed with him, loved him, her heart always did a little start upon seeing the profile of his silver hair and warm amber eyes, the warmth of his kind soul washing over her like a healing balm. At this moment though, they were solemn as he silently stood by her, offering not a word but letting her know he was there by his presence alone as he gave her the time to put her thoughts together..

Today, the silence was enough to drive her mad and so she turned to him, for once not all put together. “I would assume you have heard word from my brother?”

Theron gave her a weary smile and a nod. “Aye. Him and the others will be joining us tonight and we leave for the North on the morrow along with all else who wish to leave. He said it was only a faint hunch that he had, nothing that felt concrete, but…” He trailed off and sighed dejectedly.

“Any hope is better than none. North it is then.” As she looked around to see that they were well and truly alone away from any other souls from the village, she stepped closer and embraced him, her voice becoming muffled in his clothes. “I just hope there is enough time…I have no more insight from the Convocation, so I’m afraid I won’t be of any help to predict their movements…I have no idea what trials the morrow will bring...”

Theron cut her off and held her tight to him, his pounding heart audible underneath her ears. “You’ve helped us, more than anyone else ever has before and at great danger to yourself with little more than a heartfelt thank you.” He squeezed her again and stepped back, fixing her in place with an adamant look. “Now it is our turn to aid you and our fellow man.”

He picked up her left hand in his and motioned to the matching rings they both bore. “The day I gave you this ring, I made a vow to you. Wherever you shall wander, I shall follow and guard your back, come hells or high waters ‘til the day my soul perishes and fades away or you decide you no longer wish for my company at your side. Neither has happened yet so far, and so whatever troubles we face in the future, at least we face them together.”

Her face prickled uncomfortably as she mustered up the courage to ask, “Even if we don’t live through this? What if I can’t find you? Will you then come find me instead?”

“Always. If ever there is a time when your feet can no longer carry you forward, call for me and I will be at your side. So long as we can hold onto hope... ”

Pandoria’s eyes felt far too warm as she struggled to blink away the oncoming tears his heartfelt words prompted. She laughed wetly and embraced him for all she was worth as she vowed right then in her heart and aloud that no matter what happened in the coming days, she would be with him, her Theron, her soulmate.

\----

They never managed to finish the journey as with a decisive blow, the goddess that came to be known as Hydaelyn claimed victory and all across the world, the land and the seas and the souls that dwelled upon it were sundered and splintered, becoming a shadow of their former glory across fourteen planes of existence.

The ones who used to be called Pandoria kept their promise however, as across the ages and no matter their duties, they always searched for their Theron, even if they didn’t know exactly whom they were looking for or the name they would unconsciously cry for in the night.

As long as there was life, as long as there was hope, Pandoria would wander and search for something she knew not the name for anymore but missed terribly with all of her sundered heart.

Even splintered and promise forgotten to the winds of time, Theron always was on the lookout for his bright wandering star.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW. Alright guys, I finished my first writing challenge! It was extremely tough at times especially since I wanted to get a more concrete idea of a prompt or wanted to edit something so it would sound better and come across clearer but... I also wanted to respect the rules and so while it may not be perfect, I am incredibly proud of myself and so thankful to all of you who have come across this and read it.
> 
> Thank you my readers.


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